Resilient wheel.



D. S. BEACH.

RESILIENT WHEEL- APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. ms.

, 1 ,298,438, Patented Mar. 25, 1919.

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' 31 w an P06 VILH'NESSES 1! g3 M15 3/74. BY 44 4 ATTORNEY DAVID S. BEACH, 0F BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 25, 1919.

Application filed July 24, 1916. Serial No. 111,047.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID S. BEACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates toresilient wheels, and more particularly to a resilient wheel especially adapted for use in connection with automobiles and similar vehicles.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a wheel of the character stated which possesses great strength and resiliency.

A further object is to provide a wheel of simple construction which may be used in combination with an ordinary wagon wheel of standard make.

Further objects will appear from the detail description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of the invention partly in section.

"Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental side View of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. .4 is a section on the line H of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side view partly in section of a modified form of the invention, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail persective View of one of the supporting sections.

1 designates a felly of steel or other suitable material. On this felly I secure a series of supporting sections. Each of these sections is formed of the members 2 and 3. These members are of arcuate shape and are stamped with inwardly. projecting base flanges 2 and 3. The members 2 and 3 are further provided, near' each end, withperforated ears 4. The member 2 is also provided with laterally projecting spacing webs 5 of less height than the vertical wall of said member which have their outer edges rounded and engage the inner face of the vertical wall of member 3 so as to hold the two members in spaced relation. Each member is further provided atone end, with an integral tongue 6 and at the other end with a slot 7 In assembling the wheel, the ears 1 are turned inward at right angles so as to overlap each other. The member 3 is then secured on the outer surface of the felly 1 and the member 2 is seated in the same as in Fig. 2. When these two members are in position suitable bolts 8 are passed through the alined apertures of the ears 4 and through the felly 1. This firmly secures the sections of the tire supporting rim to the felly l and also secures the elements 2 and 3 against lateral displacement. The tongues 6 of one member of a tire supporting section fit snugly into the slot 7 of the member of the succeeding section. This forms a tense structure about the periphery of the felly 1, the elements of which are rigidly connected and are secured against periph eral, radial or lateral displacement.

When two members of a section are assembled they form a pocket such as shown in Fig. 1. In each pocket thus formed, near each end thereof, I mount a pair of coil springs 9, the inner ends of which fit about centering studs 10 projecting from the outer face of the flange base 2 for this purpose. The outer ends of the springs will be pressed firmly against the inner face of a tire ll of rubber or other suitable resilient material mounted in the tire supporting rim. These springs give the tire greatly increased resiliency, as well as forming supporting means for the same.

Intermediate the springs 9, I mount a third spring 12. This spring is mounted about the outer portion of a bolt 13 provided at its outer end with a circular head 14:, which bolt projects through alined aper tures in the felly 1 and the base flanges of the members 2 and 3. A coil spring 15 is mounted on the inner portion of the bolt 13 and is confined between a washer 16 mounted about the bolt adjacent the inner face of the felly 1 and a nut 17 threaded on the inner end of the bolt.

The felly 1 is connected to the usual hub by means of radially disposed spokes 18 in the ordinary manner. The springs 9 and'12 provide supportjof greatresiliency for the load which the wheel carries.

The outer peripheralface of the tire 11 is serrated asst--11 in order to increase its grip, thus efl'ectually preve'nting slipping or skidding of the vehicle. As anfadditional means for securing the tire 11,111 place, the members 2 and 3 ofthe tlre rim sectlons are provided at each end, with outwardly-projecting apertured ears19. The ears of one section; when the wheel is assembled, iabut against the e'arsof'the next section so as to form an arcuate extension, which projects radially outward along that side of the tire 15 I 'ku' clipiZOis inserted through the apertures ofthisprojection and has nuts 21 threaded and is provided with two spaced 1 apertures.

on r the other ends "of it's I arms. It will be understood that the arms o'f this clippass through the tire' and through the -a'pertujres of the members 19 on the opposite side of the ti're, these members being; in alineinent 'transversely'of the tire.

, In "Fig- 3015 the 'drawings,- I rep-lae the' spokes 18 'by a central disk l8 iprovided with radiall disposed apertures 22* closed by bridge pieces 23 att-heir outer ends. The

V bolts l3 project through these bridgepieces 'and the coil spring' l-nisconfinedbetween the bridge piece and -the-nut 17. The coil spring 12* is mounted' 'about "the outer'portion of the holtfa'nd extends inward through and beyond 7 g the felly I andhaSEitsinner end seate'dina recess 23 in the i peripher-y "of the disk 18 Ina-11 other respects so far as the resilient mounting oiz' thetire andtire supporting-rim iseoncerned, this construction is'similar to 7 that shownm Figs; 1 and 2' -and above described in detail;

At' the 'center-oifthe disk-1:8 I provide an integral hub-24. This hub-is providedon 7 one endwith anj-inwardly projecting annular flan'ge '25. "On the other end; of the hub, I so sure jahub'iplate-26 which has a central bore to i receive 7 the spindle 27 I of an axle of suitableconstruction. T heflange "-25 of hub 24:,

V and pla'te 26; are both provided: with axially disposed apertures, those of the flange being in ali'nement with the apertures in theplate,

when the latteris secured in position' A -pluralityr;of anti-friction rollers 28 are mounted in the'hub by means of; integral "gudgeons'29 which fit'into' the apertures of *th'e 'hub plateand the hub flange. These rollersrconta'ctwith the peripheral surface ofthe t'xlespindle, in the usual niannen'so as to reduce friction-and{ the wear incident thereto to the mini-mum. 7' The'hub QAK-is further proii-iddfwith a grease box "30" Which communic'ates' with the interior of the hubthrough tliei1siral openings This insures proper lubrication of the rollers and aXlespindles.

I In Fig. 5; I' have shown the construction tire especiallyadaptedto be applied to wlieels pretend rs construction. -In-this figure the numeral 31 designatesthe folly of a wagon wheel of ordinary construction upon which is secured the usual steel tire "32.

Aboutthe wheel l-firmlyzseoure, a felly'33 by g V means of bolts 1 34 inserted throughfthe same and through the wheel tire and felly and se cured in position by nuts threaded on the inmounted about a "central stufd 38 formed integral with and projecting inward from- V the tire "35. The center; spring is mounted in a cylindrical casing 39 proj ecting inward from the tire aboutthe outer portion of a bolt e0 having its head countersunkin theitire' and projectin inwardly 'beyond the fflly 81 through alinefdapertures in-thefelly 33, tire"32 md'the iel1y. "About the inner portion-of loolt '40 is mounted {a lighter coil spring-41"confined' between a e washer "42' {adjacent the inner face 01 'f-the felly 31 and ainut 43 threaded on {the inner A end of the bolt.

V The tire '35 is constructed of a plurality of transversely connected nrcuate sections '35.

with 5 an integral:tongue45. The tongue 45 of one section fits into the slot i iro ifthe succeeding section and is pivotally' secured t1 Each ofithese sections isprovicledin one end with aslot L4(and atfthe"otheraend in bya pin46. This provides-a tire ofsgreat' flexibility, which insures themaXimu-m ping or traction-surface; This tireissi ently supported by the springs 36, 37 38 ;nd 41 W11" ch insures a wheel ff "greatresili 'ncy.

There, may bechangesmade in thecon- I struction "and-arrangement --of the -"dili'e'rent parts of my invention, and I intend -to iir clu'de; all I such variations in this =-application as fall within "the scope" of the "appended claims in which apreferred invention is disclosed.

qVVhatI claim is: V j 1 1. Ina-resilient wheel, the combination of form onlyofiny a telly, a tire supporting rim composed of" a plurality of interlocking sections secured to said felly, each-of s'aidsectionsforminga' spri-ng pocket, artiregmounted intheptire sup porting. rim, means for securing the tire in V the said tlresupport ng rim and' for secur ng the interlocking sections of said 'riin together,

and a plurality o-fresilientmembers. mounted in eachofsai d spring'poclzets' a-n'd engaging the'innenface of-'said -tire. V

2. In a resilient wheelfthe combination of 'a felly, 'a tire supporting rim composedof a plurality of areuate-s'ections "secured to'said v tellyeach oii saict secti'ons ferrninga spring pocket, a tire mounted in the tire supporting In testimony whereof I aflix my signature rim, means for securing the tire ifi said tire in presence of two witnesses.

supportin rim and for securing t esections 1 of said rir n together, and a plurality of re- DAVID BLACH silient members mounted in each of said Witnesses:

spring pockets and engaging the inner face WALLACE A. SMITH,

of said tire. I I. L. BELDEN.

copies of this patent may be obtained totllfive cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. c." 

